Steel-wool-pad making



June 4, 1929. w, 0 N ET AL V 1,715,389

STEEL WOOL PAD MAKING Filed April 4, 1927 WILL/AM HRoBB-ms, [MERSON E. K IMBERLEY,

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WILLIAJM H. ROBBINS, OF SPRINGFIELD, AND EMERSON E. KIMBERLY, OF COLUMBUS, OHIO, ASSIGNORS TO THE WILLIAMS COMPANY, OF LONDON, OHIO, A CORPORA- TION OF OHIO.

STEEL-WOOL-PAD MAKING.

Application filed; April 4,

Our invention relates to a method and apparatus of making steel wool pads.

It is the object of our invention to provide means for rapidly making steel wool pads either in flat or cup-shaped pads, so that all hand labor of making such pads will be obviated and they will be turned out in large quantities of uniform size and uniform thickness.

Referring to the drawings:

Figure 1 is an end elevation of the apparatus of our invention with the chute in section showing the associated parts;

Figure 2 is a side elevation with the chute 1 in section showing the parts in position about to be advanced to the making of the pad;

Figure 3 is a similar view showing the pad making member fully advanced near the end of completing a cup-shaped pad;

Figure 4 is a side elevation of the completed Fi guria 5 is a section through a cup-shaped ad. p It will be understood that making of steel wool into pads has been heretofore mainly a hand process and is both diflicult and laborious because the steel wool is light, inflammable, abrasive to the hands and is diflicult to arrangein pads of homogeneous density. This has largely prohibited its use except in bulk.

Our invention provides a means of making these pads of predetermined quantities of wool and arranging the wool in regular order without the necessity of touching it by hand,

' so that each pad will be of a homogeneous character of uniform weight, of uniform size and uniform density. This is important as the pads must be fitted inte boxes of predetermined sizesand the wool is sold on the basis of weight.

Referring to the details of the drawings, 1 designates a chute of any desired character, preferably inclined, through which a group of strands of steel wool is delivered from a steel wool making machine. These strands pass downwardly to one side of a cut ofi knife 2 passing through a slot 3 in the chute and actuated"by a handle 4. Any form of ife may be employed'but, for the purpose 0 simplicit-y', I have shown a hand operated knife in the-present embodiment of our invention.

On one side of the chute is formed a gu1d 1927. Serial- No. 180,736.

ing sleeve 5. This chute carries a reciprocating rotating drum 6 on the end of which are 7 a plurality of rotating fingers 7. The end of the drum and the fingers are located in the s de of the chute 1 in such a position that they are normally out of the path of the strands of steel wool.

This drum 6 carries a gear 8 adapted to slldingly engage with a relatively broad gear 9 which is connected to a source of power through the shaft 10;

The gears 8 and 9 mesh with one another and the drum 6 receives its rotation from the gear 9 through the gear 8. The drum 6 is connected by the universal joint 11 to a pitman 12 on the free end of which is connected a cam roller 13 working in a cam slot 14 of a cam plate 15 mounted on the shaft 16. As the cam plate 15 rotates the movement of the cam slot 14 projects the drum 6 forwardly, this motion being possible by means of the working of the shaft 16 in the slot of the pitman 12.

The steel wool strands are moved into the path of the pins 7 by a reciprocating arm 17 having a head 18 and pivoted at 19. This arm vis operated by a lever 20 and a link 21 con nected to a suitable source of power preferably synchronized with the movements of the drum 6 in its reciprocation;

Just prior to the projecting of the drum 6 and the fingers 7 into an advanced position in the chute-'1, the arm 17 and its head 18 move the steel wool strands into the path of the fingers 7 and having moved the strands into the path of the fingers 7 as shown in dotted lines in. Figure 1, this feeding lever and its head is withdrawn so that the engagement of the fingers 7 with the steel wool strands designated 22 will serve to start the making of the pad which is completed by the further advancement of the drum 6 and the pins 7 and rotation with the steel wool strands which are wrapped around the fingers and between the fingers and then around the drum 6 until the steel wool strands are cut off by the knife 2, immediately after which the ,drum 6 is withdrawn by the cam mechanism resulting in sliding the pad off of the pins and drum 6. The withdrawal of the drum 6 is efiected by rotating the cam plate 15 in a direction opposite to that of the rotation of the plate when the drum 6 is" being projected, as above described. A

If it is desired to form only a flat pad as it ma descend as a completed pad through in Figure 4, this withdrawaltakes place before any wool can be wrapped around the drum itself. 1

But, if it is desired to make a cup-shaped pad as in Figure 5 the wool is allowed to be wrapped around the drum 6 so that the cupshaped interior will be firm on the pad.

These operations can be controlled by asuitable interconnecting of the several mechanisms or by hand, as desired. Pads can be formed with great rapidity of varying forms depending upon the shape of the fingers and the drum, and of varying sizes depending upon the timing ofthe apparatus.

It will be understood that we desire to com- .prehend within our invention such mo'difications as may be necessary to adapt it to varying conditions and uses.

Having thus fully described our invention,

what we claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

, ing been so wound.

3. In combination, means to deliver a steel wool strand in the vicinity of a winding mechanism, means to move the strand into the path of 'a' windin mechanism, a winding mechanism adapte to be moved into engagement with said strand to wrap it into a, pad, 311?]: means to out said strand; to complete the pa l 4:. In combination, means-to deliver a steel wool strand in the vicinity of a winding mechanism, means to move the strand into the path of a winding mechanism, a winding mechanism adapted to be moved into engagement with said strand to wrap it into a pad, means to out said strand to complete the pad, and means to remove said pad from said winding mechanism.

5. In combination, a chute adapted to guide steel wool strands and a windin mech anism reciprocably mounted in sai chute adapted to project into the path of said strands to engage them to wind apa'd thereon of steel wool, and means to .sever said steel wool-strands so that the pad can be completed.

6. In combination, a chute adapted to guide steel wool strands and a winding mechanism reciprocably mounted in said chute adapted to project into the path of said strands to engage them to wind a pad thereon of steel wool, means to sever said steel wool strands so that the pad can be completed, and means arranged to eject said pad from the end of said winding means so that said 0 ute.

7. In combination, a guiding chute, a reciprocating rotating drum mounted therein, steel Wool engaging means mounted on said drum, means for rotating said drum and means for reciprocating said drum.

8. In combination, a guiding chute, a reciprocating rotating drum mounted therein, steel wool engaging means mounted on said drum, means for rotating said drum, means for reciprocating said drum, and means adapted to move said steel wool from its normal position in said chute into a position in the path of said steel wool engaging means and drum.

9. In coinbination, a chute, a closely fitting drum mounted in a side wall of said chute adapted to rotate and reciprocate therein, pins on the end of said drum adapted to be projected into said chute, means for rotating said drum, means for reciprocating said drum, whereby said drum will be moved into said chute into engagement with steel wool strands, and a pad will be wound thereon, the drum will be returned to its initial position and the'pad wound on said pins and drum will be removed from said drum by the engagement of the pad with the side wall .of the chute through which thedrum is withdrawn.

10. In combination, a chute, a closely fitting drum mounted in a side wall of said chute adapted to rotate and reciprocate therein, pins on the end of said drum adapted to be projected into said chute, means for rotat ing said drum, means for reciprocating said drum, whereby said drum will be moved into said chute into engagement with steel wool strands, and a pad will be wound thereon, the drum will be returned to its initial position and the pad wound on said pins' and drum will be removed from said drum by the engagement of the pad-with the side walls of the chute through which the drum is withdrawn, and a feeding lever adapted to move the steel wool strands in the path of said fingers and drum as the fingers andv drum are being projected into the chute.

. 11. In combination, a chute, a closely fitting drum mounted in a side wall of said chute adapted to rotate and reciprocate therein, pins on the end of said drum adapted to be projected into said chute, means for rotating said drum, means for reciprocating said drum, whereby said drum will be moved into said chute into engagement with steel wool strands, and a pad will be wound thereon, the drum will be returned to its initial position and the pad wound on said pins and drum will be removed from said drum by the engagement of the .pad with the side Wall of the chute through which the drum is withdrawn,

and a feedinglever ada ted to move the steel wool strands in the pat of said fingers and drum as the fingers and drum are being projected into the chute, and means to cut said steel wool strands when the pad has been substantially com leted.

12. Ina met 0d of making steel wool pads,

delivering steel Wool strands in a normal path, moving said strands into a winding position, winding said strands into a pad, cuttures. WILLIAM H. ROBBINS.

EMERSON E. KIMBERLY. 

